I cannot help but think the first step might be our vocabulary: I have been listening to the words we use in politics and in our everyday conversations and media. Military, sports, or just plain violent words dominate: Win, Lose, Battle, Fight, Killed it, Attack, Target, Warrior, Take a Stab at It, Plan of Attack… As we speak, so we think. Words are company, of course. They accompany us everywhere we go, invade us hundreds of times a day through various media, frame our thoughts, empower our feelings. With violent, aggressive words constantly on the tips of our tongues and in the headlines, it is little wonder we are where we are. These words originated in a time of scarcity, individual and tribal safety, and survival. It is quite a journey to become aware of them and change them as I have noticed in adjusting my own vocabulary. They are so engrained that, even when aware, it is difficult. As a start, I would love to see us try to refrain from using military, sports or violent words for one day just to become aware of the ubiquity. As long as our purpose is fighting and winning battles whether in politics, religion, business, and so many other endeavors, a higher purpose of service will evade us and we will continue to build walls. A recent quote from Daily Good: "Words are but the vague shadows of the volumes we mean. Little audible links, they are, chaining together great inaudible feelings and purposes." Theodore Dreiser
ORIGINAL COMMENT
I cannot help but think the first step might be our vocabulary:
I have been listening to the words we use in politics and in our everyday conversations and media. Military, sports, or just plain violent words dominate: Win, Lose, Battle, Fight, Killed it, Attack, Target, Warrior, Take a Stab at It, Plan of Attack… As we speak, so we think. Words are company, of course. They accompany us everywhere we go, invade us hundreds of times a day through various media, frame our thoughts, empower our feelings. With violent, aggressive words constantly on the tips of our tongues and in the headlines, it is little wonder we are where we are. These words originated in a time of scarcity, individual and tribal safety, and survival. It is quite a journey to become aware of them and change them as I have noticed in adjusting my own vocabulary. They are so engrained that, even when aware, it is difficult. As a start, I would love to see us try to refrain from using military, sports or violent words for one day just to become aware of the ubiquity. As long as our purpose is fighting and winning battles whether in politics, religion, business, and so many other endeavors, a higher purpose of service will evade us and we will continue to build walls. A recent quote from Daily Good: "Words are but the vague shadows of the volumes we mean. Little audible links, they are, chaining together great inaudible feelings and purposes." Theodore Dreiser